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Yuugen

Yuugen

“Yuugen” is a basic concept which influences various Japanese arts such as literature, painting, the performing arts, and architecture. The word originated in China and was used in Chinese schools of thought like Buddhism as well as that of Laozi and Zhuangzi.Then from the late Heian period to the early Kamakura period, the famous Japanese poet, Fujiwara no Toshinari, began using the word, yuugen, in his criticisms of Waka poetry. Over a period of time, it became a major word used in treatises on Waka poetry. During the medieval period, it began to gradually influence other Japanese arts such as Noh Drama, Zen, Renga (linked verse), Sadou (tea ceremony), and Haiku (a type of amusing and playful Waka). Eventually, it began being used as a general word in Japanese culture.

Yuugen is usually translated as “mysterious profundity.” Yuugen means the beauty that we can feel sense into an object, even though the beauty doesn’t exist in the literal sense of the word and cannot be seen directly. Yuugen is a sense not to enjoy the superficial beauty of an object, which is in front of our eyes, but to enhance the beauty more impressive by imagining its latent beauty. For example, we think a flower is beautiful when we see it. This beauty is the superficial beauty. The flower has a past of withstanding wind, rain, and snow until now, and will someday wither, however beautiful it is now. Although the beautiful flower itself impresses us, the beauty will be more impressive than the superficial beauty, when we can imagine its past and future.

If you conceptualize Yuugen as a suggestiveness, lingering memory, aftertaste, or implication, you can more easily understand Yuugen. Imagination is essential for feeling Yuugen, so many artists have, since ancient times in Japan, developed a method to encourage their viewers to exercise their imagination. Unpainted blank space, simplification, asymmetry, irregularity, imperfection, quiet colors, composition, gold paint – these are examples, in the Japanese-style painting world, of ways artists encourage their viewers to imaginatively participate in the viewing.

Noh and Haiku

Noh

Haiku

“Noh” and “haiku” are representative of Yuugen (one of Japanese aesthetic concepts).
You can see Yuugen more through these videos.

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Our Feelings For Kakejiku

The Japanese people have long set a high value on aesthetic senses since ancient times. As a result, the peculiar culture which is not seen in other countries blossomed and many aspects of the modern Japanese culture come from it. Parts of Japanese culture has been introduced to people in other countries recently, so the number of people from other countries who are interested in Japanese culture has been increasing. However, the Japanese aesthetic senses, which are the bases of Japanese culture, have been nurtured through a long history, intertwining various elements intricately, such as climate, geographical features, religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are very difficult to understand not only for people from other countries, but even for the Japanese people. I think the best tool which conveys these difficult senses understandably is a “kakejiku.”
The kakejiku (a hanging scroll; a work of calligraphy or a painting which is mounted and hung in an alcove or on a wall) is a traditional Japanese art. It's no exaggeration to say that paintings are what express aesthetic senses at all times and places. The kakejiku is an art which expresses the Japanese aesthetic senses. The kakejiku has long been used in traditional Japanese events, daily life and so on since ancient times. As a result, there are various customs of kakejiku in Japan; kakejiku and the life of the Japanese are closely related. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
The kakejiku is a cultural tradition which the Japanese people should be proud of. However, many people in other countries don't know much about it because it hasn't been showcased as much. This is why I decided to try to introduce it. The kakejiku world is very interesting and beautiful. We want not only the Japanese, but also many people from other countries to know and enjoy it. I hope that many people will love kakejiku someday.

Art Nomura is an art dealer which produces kakejiku (hanging scrolls). We mount many paintings and calligraphic works in kakejiku in my factory. Kakejiku are our main product. We also remount and repair old or damaged kakejiku. We share the traditional Japanese art of kakejiku with people all over the world.

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The Japanese people have long set a high value on aesthetic senses since ancient times. As a result, the peculiar culture which is not seen in other countries blossomed and many aspects of the modern Japanese culture come from it. Parts of Japanese culture has been introduced to people in other countries recently, so the number of people from other countries who are interested in Japanese culture has been increasing. However, the Japanese aesthetic senses, which are the bases of Japanese culture, have been nurtured through a long history, intertwining various elements intricately, such as climate, geographical features, religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are very difficult to understand not only for people from other countries, but even for the Japanese people. I think the best tool which conveys these difficult senses understandably is a “kakejiku.”
The kakejiku (a hanging scroll; a work of calligraphy or a painting which is mounted and hung in an alcove or on a wall) is a traditional Japanese art. It's no exaggeration to say that paintings are what express aesthetic senses at all times and places. The kakejiku is an art which expresses the Japanese aesthetic senses. The kakejiku has long been used in traditional Japanese events, daily life and so on since ancient times. As a result, there are various customs of kakejiku in Japan; kakejiku and the life of the Japanese are closely related. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
The kakejiku is a cultural tradition which the Japanese people should be proud of. However, many people in other countries don't know much about it because it hasn't been showcased as much. This is why I decided to try to introduce it. The kakejiku world is very interesting and beautiful. We want not only the Japanese, but also many people from other countries to know and enjoy it. I hope that many people will love kakejiku someday.